The Fall Harvest Casserole

Time :1 20

Yield :8 servings

Recipe Background

Autumn brings colorful postcard-perfect views, cozy fireplace hangs, and all the warm comfort foods you can dream of. These yummy, filling dishes, like The Fall Harvest Casserole, basically encompass everything lovely about the crisp, leaf-changing season. This dish, in particular, is piled with fresh fall favorites like tender butternut squash and nutty parsnips, plus more nourishing veggies and salty, crunchy bacon. Sprinkled with some gooey melted cheese and crunchy slivered almonds, The Fall Harvest Casserole makes your perfect autumn dreams come to life.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds butternut squash peeled and chopped into large cubes
3 medium parsnips peeled and chopped into large cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves chopped, plus more leaves for garnish
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped, plus more leaves for garnish, divided
6 slices bacon
2 onions thinly sliced
1 medium bunch kale stemmed and chopped
2 tablespoons salted butter optional
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese shredded
1/4 cup almonds smoked or plain roasted, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a 9x13-inch baking dish, toss together the butternut squash, the parsnips, the olive oil, the sage leaves, 2 teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme.
Bake until the veggies are tender, stirring every 20 minutes, for about 1 hour-1 hour 20 minutes.
While the veggies are baking, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10-12 minutes.
Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Let the cooked bacon stand until cool enough to handle, then crumble into large pieces.
Still over medium heat, add the onions to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring, until softened and deeply golden, about 25-35 minutes.
Add the kale, the butter (if not enough of the bacon grease remains), the apple cider vinegar, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper to the onions.
Cover the skillet and cook until the kale is wilted, stirring once, about 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the veggie mixture away from the heat.
In the baking dish filled with the cooked squash and parsnips, add the veggie mixture and the cooked bacon.
Gently mix the casserole together and spread into an even layer.
Sprinkle the casserole with the cheese.
Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the almonds and garnish with the extra sage leaves and the extra thyme leaves.
Serve.